1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooling device for a pulsed laser having at least one cooling circuit with a cooling medium whose volume increases due to pulsed excitation.
The present invention also relates to a process for the cooling of a pulsed laser that has at least one cooling circuit, wherein the volume of the cooling medium in the cooling circuit increases in a pulsed excitation process.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
In known solid-state lasers, one or more laser rods, inclusive of flash lamps for the pulsed excitation of the laser medium, are usually arranged in a corresponding cavity or cavity housing. Various cooling devices that prevent a thermal overloading of the laser medium within such solid-state lasers are known.
For example, a suitable cooling liquid or a suitable cooling medium can be conducted directly through the cavity and can flow around the flash lamp(s) and the laser medium.
Furthermore, arrangements are known in which the cooling liquid is conducted in cooling tubes of helical shape around the rod-shaped laser medium and/or the flash lamp(s).
All the known arrangements have in common the feature that usually one or more pumps are provided in the cooling circuit, and effect a circulation of the respective cooling medium, and thus a corresponding withdrawal of heat.
However, problems now result for certain laser applications, when expensive cooling devices of this kind are necessary for a solid-state laser. In the case of a compact solid-state laser arranged directly on a surgical microscope, the required inflow and outflow ducts of the cooling medium circuit, including the necessary pump and the supply ducting, are considerably disturbing for the operating surgeon.